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It was the Carmelo Anthony Show, but not a Winning Show.
The Miami Dream Team got the win, got the 3-0 season sweep, and had LeBron James and Dwyane Wade dominate late while closing the door on the Knicks with a smashing final six minutes.
But Anthony’s Knicks came out of yesterday’s 93-85 Garden matinee loss feeling this was no knockout punch, still believing they can take a potential meeting in late April in the first round.
“There’s no need to put our heads down,” Anthony said. “We played hard, we played tough.”
Anthony was spectacular with 42 points, but had no offensive help. Anthony will have Amar’e Stoudemire as his sidekick by the playoffs and a healthy Tyson Chandler, who was hobbled in the fourth quarter after a knee-to-knee collision with Joel Anthony in the third and admitted he didn’t have much mobility.
The Knicks led 79-75 with 8:08 left before James and Wade took over the Garden.
“It’s obvious we can beat them,’’ said Knicks rookie guard Iman Shumpert, who made Wade work all day. “We just got to do so. If it takes us facing them in the playoffs, then that’s what it takes.’’
There will have to be better shot making than yesterday from somebody not named Anthony, as a putrid offense cost them their first home loss in the Mike Woodson Era after nine wins.
“We just didn’t have any flow,’’ Anthony said. “Even when I was in the game or not in the game, we didn’t have any flow. This is, for the first time in a long time, that I have seen that in our offense.’’
Anthony got no help offensively with no other starter hitting double figures. The three-guard lineup of Baron Davis, Shumpert and Landry Fields combined for 10 points on 4 of 18 shooting.
Stoudemire, who has missed the last 11 games with a bulging disk, should return Wednesday in Newark against the Nets — just in the nick of time.
The Knicks (31-29) dropped to eighth place, half-game behind No. 7 Sixers, and today would match up against the Bulls. But they have a game in hand and with the Sixers sliding, the Knicks have a better shot at No. 7 and a Heat matchup.
“It’s a good matchup from what we [saw] today,’’ said J.R. Smith, who had a fast start but petered out in the fourth quarter, finishing with 16 points on 6 of 15 shooting with three turnovers. “Hopefully we’ll have STAT back and have him at least 90 percent by the payoffs. I think it will be a different story in the postseason.’’
The Heat pulled away midway through the fourth quarter after a tight battle, with the Knicks’ injuries — past and present — catching up with them.
It was all looking good when Smith knocked the ball from Wade, Anthony picked up the loose ball and flung it to Smith for a fastbreak dunk and 79-75 lead with 8:08 left. But Smith celebrated the jam by pointing and Wade beat him downcourt for a baby jumper in the lane as Miami scored the next six points to take the lead for good.
“I thought our pace was so slow today, we have to get the ball up a lot quicker to get in our offense,” Woodson said. “In the third quarter we lived on jump shots and didn’t rely on the free throw line.’’
James, booed all game, scored 29 points with 10 rebounds and Wade added 28 points. Back-to-back jumpers by Wade and James put the Heat ahead 87-80 with 4:02 left and the Knicks were dead.
“They’re a little bit more complete as a unit than we are,’’ said Davis. “But we are encouraged. We did everything to put ourselves in a position to win. They’re at full strength and they’ve been together. Their offense and defense is more intact. When I say complete, I mean they’ve been together and established an identity. We’re continuing to establish ours.’’
Anthony drove to the basket with ferocity, made 12 of 15 free throws and hit 14 of 27 from the field. Shumpert, playing with a sprained ankle, was fine defensively on Wade but didn’t have pop on offense scoring just three points on 1 of 4 shooting in 37 minutes. Shumpert said his knee was OK he was just deferring to the hot hand in Anthony.
Were the Knicks too deferential?
“We have to do a better job as a team, realizing what we need,’’ Smith said. “If Melo’s hot, of course we go to him. But we have to do a better job at realizing what we need at that time. If a few others have it going have to look at that. When we have balanced scoring I’m sure our numbers are definitely higher.’’
“I think we turned down shots to try to get better shots,’’ Davis said. “I think we match up well with them. We’ll be up to the challenge.’’
After two blowout losses in Miami, the Knicks didn’t feel they got overwhelmed yesterday.
“It will be a battle,’’ Anthony said of facing Miami in the playoffs. “We feel very confident going against everybody, no matter who it is. We’re learned from this game and will get better.’’